Spiderlove ~ Lee Know ✓

chapter 35 :'-3

~yeona's pov~

~flashback~

October 25th was a date that was stuck in my head the moment Minho told me. I would never forget his birthday.

This drawing took me eight hours in total to complete. I treaded cautiously, completing every single detail with precision. It had to be perfect.

The first thing I did the day after that gym class was ask Jisung to send me pictures of Minho's cats that I could use as a reference. When none of them were satisfactory, I made him go to his house and take a picture just the way I wanted. According to him, it took much strength and courage to undertake trying to get them all together, arriving at school the next day with quite the display of scratch marks.

Then, I started working on his birthday present straight away. I went home early every day to work on it and stayed up late in order to sketch, draw, erase, and shade with charcoal. Homework was not a priority.

When I shared my gift idea with the rest of his friends, they were all really excited and assured me that he would absolutely love my present. And then Changbin jokingly came up with the idea that I should pretend to forget about his birthday and only give it to him at the end of the day. But then they dared me to actually do it.

So that's how that happened.

After that, I searched the department stores for way too long trying to find a gift bag that was mint coloured. Not green, not lime, mint.

I made sure to finish the piece the day before, but like the perfectionist I am, I ended up staying up late and needing more time to add on to it in the morning, resulting in me making a last-minute cancellation for badminton, as well as missing the bus and being late to school in the morning.

And finally, when it was actually finished, I taped wax paper over it to prevent smudging because that's my worst nightmare.

Hyunjin had offered to help me with the art piece, but I declined. I wanted his present to be from me. Just me. That didn't stop me from asking Hyunjin to show me his locker and lock passcode during lunch, though.

I did all that because Minho has become one of my dearest friends in such a short period of time. Because he means so much to me. And I would never forget the birthday of someone who means so much to me.

Seeing Minho sulking and feeling depressed all day was actually painful. I couldn't bear to see him this disappointed, especially on his birthday of all days. Especially because of me. I wanted to spoil the surprise for him so many times, so badly, just so he could stop being sad.

But it was too late for that. It was too late the moment I lied when he asked me if I knew what day it was.

"Yeon, do you know what day it is?" he asked. He was still happy up to that point.

Your birthday. I wanted to say.

"No I don't." I lied instead, "Don't tell me it's Monday."

But it was fine. His reaction at the end of it would make this all worth it.

And it did.

~end of flashback~

"I didn't mean to make you cry," I say, wrapping my arms around him from behind.

I quiet sob escapes from Minho, and suddenly I'm hit by the uncertainty. Did I take it too far? Are his feelings actually hurt?

But the wariness in me fades away as soon as he brings his own arms up and wraps them around mine.

It feels so warm. So electric. Out of nowhere, I feel charged, like heat is coursing through me. I have no idea where these sensations are coming from.

My breathing becomes heavy and my face heats up. I gasp to myself when I come to the sudden epiphany that this has to be the hundredth time Minho has made me blush. Why is that?

Memories come rushing back like a raging river. That first time we hung out alone, at the bubble tea shop, sipping from each other's straws—I remember he was so close to my face, admiring my eyes, that I could see my reflection in his own. That time in gym class, when he wouldn't stop praising me for my badminton skills, even asking to take a picture of my banner. That time after badminton tryouts, when he told me he applied for the team...for me. That time we were watching out for buses for the field trip, and he rested his head on my shoulder while complaining about not being on the same bus as me. That time he killed a spider for me, the sorrow on his face forcing guilt onto mine. That time I saved him from falling down the mountain, terrified that I would never see him again. And all those times he's showered me with compliments.

His fingers wrap around my forearms and it's the catalyst to the one core memory I hold.

That time I was locked in a science lab, with a spider on my head, and Minho.

The way he clasped my mouth to stop me from screaming.

The way he held my hands to make me more comfortable.

The way he hugged me as I cried in his arms when the spider was finally gone.

The way I felt so hot when we touched.

The electricity.

What is happening to me?

The raging river occupying my mind transforms into a tsunami as reality comes crashing down, Minho finally letting go of my arms to spin around and face me. His dark eyes are glassy, coated with water, yet adorning his face is the brightest smile I've ever seen. And it makes my heart skip a beat.

Oh...

"Yeons..." starts Minho.

Oh no...

I make an effort to turn away so that I can get a moment to breathe, but I can't move. All I can do is stare deep into his hypnotizing eyes, trying my best to sort out my jumbled thoughts.

And it almost works, until his soft laugh escapes from his lips. And it's music to my ears.

"Yeona, this is the best gift ever."

~~~

(a/n: disclaimer: the drawing in the banner does not belong to me, unfortunately I do not know the artist's name but full credits to them as it's beautiful <3. Also, note that Yeona drew something different.

i hope you liked the chapter. I think, yeona finally realized something. 0///<)